When will hen bring poults in from nest to integrate with flock

[GotCoop]

I am letting a hen brood a nest out in the "wild" for the first time. Once the poults hatch, how long before the hen brings them back into the flock?

 

[R2elk]

I am letting a hen brood a nest out in the "wild" for the first time. Once the poults hatch, how long before the hen brings them back into the flock?

If you are truly letting her set on a nest in the "wild". she may never bring them back because predators are a strong possibility. Normally they will bring them to the feed and water station once most of the eggs have hatched and the poults are dry and fluffy.

I had one hen that hatched 8 of 11 eggs and stopped to pick a fight with my dog on the way to the coop. They were fighting through the fence that was the dog pen. While they were fighting, I collected the poults and put them in the brooder. After she was done fighting with the dog, she was frantic because she could not find her poults. After about 6 hours she went back to her nest to sit on the remaining 3 eggs. Two days later she came back off the nest with two more poults.

 

[memphis]

R2elk! I can't believe you stole that poor moma's babies!! Shame on You! LOL!

 

[R2elk]

R2elk! I can't believe you stole that poor moma's babies!! Shame on You! LOL!

I steal all of their babies. It greatly reduces poult loss due to uncontrollable circumstances.

 

[memphis]

I know....just couldn't resist....you home wrecker you!

 

[R2elk]

I know....just couldn't resist....you home wrecker you!

But...but I often replace the stolen poults with 2 week old poults if I have them available. There is just too much danger in the general population for newly hatched poults.

 

[GotCoop]

Here's momma. She selected a pretty good spot in the corner of pasture fence line under a Drake Elm. Other than where she is, it is open pasture for 100 yards all around. I can easily check on her without making a disturbance. She comes to the barn for feed and water every morning when I'm there to take care of the other poultry and horses.

 

[GotCoop]

Of sixteen eggs Momma hatched 14 (unfortunately one went MIA before we discovered she had left the nest). They are all in safe area now.